Many people experience times when they feel down, and these can even be aligned with changes in the seasons. The cold weather months offer less light (i.e. vitamin D) and frequently are accompanied with more time inside, hiding from the harsh weather outside.
Whether it is SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), depression, sluggishness, or times when you just don’t feel like yourself, staying connected with loved ones can help you kick these bad feelings to the curb.While these winter blues impact millions of people for up to five months out of the year, this time can be uniquely difficult for those in the deaf and hard of hearing community. Approximately one in three people between the ages 65 and 74 has hearing loss, and the CDC lists loneliness and social isolation in older adults as a serious public health risk. Unfortunately, this creates the perfect storm for older members of the deaf and hard of hearing community to be at a high risk for the potential negative effects of the winter months.
Mental Health America found that 71 percent of people surveyed turn to friends or family in times of stress and this type of social connection is proven to decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety. At InnoCaption, our goal is to provide the best communications access for the deaf and hard of hearing community as possible, and we want to take the time to remind our user community that continuing to stay connected can significantly reduce the negative impacts of the winter blues.
Whether it is bundling up to take a walk with a friend, meeting up with family members on video chat, or just giving someone a quick call, remembering that you aren’t alone and changing up the sometimes monotonous routines we take up during the cold can provide a much needed boost in your day. Similarly, if you know someone with a hearing loss, this is a gentle reminder to reach out to them! This time of year can be especially difficult, but remember that you aren’t alone.
While connecting with loved ones and getting outside can be very helpful, we also wanted to share a few resources for those fighting SAD or just not feeling like themselves including hotlines for immediate support and ways to connect with a mental health counselor or therapist.
If you have more questions on how InnoCaption can help you stay connected, send us a note at support@innocaption.com and we’d be happy to provide you with any resources you need.
InnoCaption provides real-time captioning technology making phone calls easy and accessible for the deaf and hard of hearing community. Offered at no cost to individuals with hearing loss because we are certified by the FCC. InnoCaption is the only mobile app that offers real-time captioning of phone calls through live stenographers and automated speech recognition software. The choice is yours.
InnoCaption proporciona tecnología de subtitulado en tiempo real que hace que las llamadas telefónicas sean fáciles y accesibles para la comunidad de personas sordas y con problemas de audición. Se ofrece sin coste alguno para las personas con pérdida auditiva porque estamos certificados por la FCC. InnoCaption es la única aplicación móvil que ofrece subtitulación en tiempo real de llamadas telefónicas mediante taquígrafos en directo y software de reconocimiento automático del habla. Usted elige.
